Nigel Twiston-Davies Stable Tour, Cheltenham Festival

Bristol De Mai

Very exciting. What we saw at Haydock was phenomenal and if we'd taken that race to Newbury, he'd have been a lot better but he wasn't in the same form but he's had a nice long break now and he's in great form.

He was really good at Haydock, we can put a line through Newbury. He just wasn't himself that day. We thought 'oh dear, he's not very good' but when we got back home he was lame and he had a whole week of lameness and, you know, not being right.

He slightly twisted a joint-type thing or whatever it was. He's come right now as you saw today and if he can stay sound, then he'll be very good. I'm very hopeful. 

He didn't jump with his normal fluency and he hung badly to the left, he's never done any of that before. Straight afterwards we thought we'd run him too soon after the last race but he was very lame when he came off the lorry and he's had lots of injections and treatments and things and he looks 100% now.

You saw him today, he looks absolutely gorgeous so hopefully he'll be right back in the fray again. 

It's impossible to compare him to Imperial Commander, you can't compare them. 

We'll play it by ear [tactically], he's very much a horse that goes his own pace; you don't tell him what to do. He'll be right up there in the front line but he's settling a lot better now and he stays, jumps - he's uncomplicated.

The ground's not a worry, I think it inconveniences others more than him if it is soft but he seems to go on anything; he was second in the Festival last year in the JLT and now he goes well over further.

His stamina was a surprise because in his younger days he was overkeen but now he settles, he'll stay as long as you want. I think he's very much under the radar now and I can understand that, I couldn't understand that with Imperial Commander but I can understand his, because he did run very badly, well not badly, but it wasn't a great run at Newbury.

The New One

We have decided now that he will be going for the Stan James Champion Hurdle, it's not as hot as it has been.

We haven't got a Faugheen in there this year. I think we're all in agreement now, there seems to be a very good horse in Unowhatimeanharry in the Stayers' and there isn't an outstanding one in the Champion and I think it's an easier choice [than it was a month ago] and we want to put right the unlucky bits we've had in the past.

He was desperately unlucky in the first one, he was definitely knocked back more than he was beaten. If you look at the ratings - the handicapper, as he tells us, is always right - and he should be right there; he's one of the top rated, himself and Yanworth are the two top rated ones, there's a pound between them.

Cheltenham brings the best out of him, he was only beaten eight lengths last year. Different tactics that we are employing now will hopefully turn that around and we're very excited by him and are looking forward to it.

This is going to be his fourth Champion Hurdle; he was very unlucky in his first one and hopefully this is the year when everything is going to fall right for him.

Happier than we have been for a long time, as you know he's had soundness issues in the past, this year since October he hasn't had an unsound step - he'll probably have one tomorrow now - and soundness he's never been better.

He doesn't seem to be showing his age, when he won the International at Cheltenham he wasn't showing his age that day; he sparkled that day.

He never seems to sparkle at Haydock but he wins there well and back at his favourite course he'll be flying up the hill. It would be just wonderful, it would really be the highlight of everything, he's been so brilliant for us over the years.

Ballyoptic

He was right upsides Unowhatimeanharry at Ascot when he fell. He was a little bit disappointing at Cheltenham last time, he's had some time off and come back really well and strong - let's hope he can do the business. Again, he's right up there in the ratings and if it was a handicap, he'd be one of the top ones.

He gallops and stays. The two falls he's had he just slipped on landing, the one he took a stride and it wasn't his fault at all at Wetherby, he just lost his backend at Ascot, very unlucky.

Ballyandy

We've just about totally decided we'll go for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle. He cantered to the last in the Betfair and quickened away nicely. We've always thought an awful lot of him and we can't understand why he didn't do better in his first three races but he managed to handicap himself nicely and let's go on to better things now.

We checked his wind, checked everything and there was nothing amiss; maybe with time, he's just got better and better. He's got plenty of speed, he won there this time last year and we're really looking forwards to it and hopefully we can take our revenge on Moon Racer.

Wholestone

He has done absolutely nothing wrong this season. He's won three times at Cheltenham. He's not flashy by any means but he does what has to be done and has won three times round there and been second once.

Three miles really suits, ground not a problem and he keeps pulling out that little bit extra so he deserves to be one of the favourites.

I don't know what the Irish are going to bring over but the Tizzard favourite [West Approach], I know he's been unlucky but we've beaten him twice already. I understand he's been unlucky but the form says we've beaten him twice. 

Flying Angel

He's one of the puzzles of the whole thing. He was very good at Warwick in the Kingmaker and so what do we do? Do we take on the supposed unbeatable Altior or do we go for what could be the easier version in the JLT?

You shouldn't be frightened of one horse. We don't know we're going to be discussing it right up until the end.

Arctic Gold, Ballymalin & Splash Of Ginge

They all get in [to the Pertemps Network Final]. Splash Of Ginge qualified just the other day, Ballymalin has done nothing wrong all season and he's looking pretty good, a novice, he could be the one coming from down below who hasn't been exposed. He could be right there. Arctic Gold won very well in his qualifier at Sandown. Difficult to split them all. Splash Of Ginge has been a wonderful horse for us over the years as you all know and, again, it will be exciting times.

Ballycross & Calett Mad

Both very nice horses, obviously the one that shines out a bit is Calett Mad [for the  (JT McNamara National Hunt Challenge Cup]. Bit disappointing that he was beaten up at Wetherby but I think we can put that down to the softer ground. He was very impressive at Taunton the run before on better ground and we do think that better ground..... good-to- soft which it will probably be on that first day should suit him and he's rated 145 and he should be right there in the mix.

Ballykan

He ran well at Kempton on Saturday. He was very good there having had a break will come on for that run and hopefully he'll get in [to the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate ], it's very difficult to know but hopefully he will and you can't rule him out.

Crievehill & Ballyhill

Will they get in [to the Martin Pipe]? Crievehill, very pleased with him, again he's done nothing wrong this season and very keen on his chances should he get in that but I've also got him in the County and probably go for the County if we could get in. The two miles will suit him, I'm sure he'll stay but we've only run him over two miles so far.

I hate standing here stuttering about these sorts of things but it's just in the hands of the Gods really isn't it? We just don't know what's going on. Ballyhill in the Martin Pipe, he's been fine for us this year but that's the one that the handicappers might have really clobbered, he's won two and he's quite high in the weights. 

Foxtail Hill

I think probably Foxtail Hill is our best chance. He is first or second favourite for the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase. He was very impressive there last time and he managed to stay inside the rating band, 0-140. It's almost a lower class JLT because they will all be within three or four pound weight bands so basically they're all running off level weights.

He was good last time and we're very hopeful. He's nearly a JLT horse but why go for that when there's this, I just think he and Ballyandy are my two best chances I'd have thought.

Robinshill

I think we'll go for one of the handicaps. What can we get in? Which way are they going to unfold? Probably the two and a half mile on the Wednesday [Coral Cup] if we think we can get in but it will all depend on the declarations; it's so much up in the air.

Sir George Somers

He's never run and he's unlikely to get there [the JCB Triumph Hurdle] as we're struggling with fitness with him. The next few days will tell us but we needn't talk about him too much at the moment.